Jerusalem, December 13, 2011 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today commended Israel's political and security leadership for its tough stance toward violence and aggression by extremist Israeli Jews.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held an emergency meeting with top security officials in the aftermath of two incidents perpetrated by right-wing extremists: The attack by a mob of 50 people on a West Bank army base, which included vandalism, the throwing of rocks at Israel Defense Forces personnel, and other acts of hooliganism; and the brief takeover of an abandoned building by 20 extremists in a restricted area along the Jordanian-Israeli border.

ADL's Israel Office issued the following statement:

We have grown greatly alarmed by the brazenness and frequency of the violence and aggression exhibited by extremist Israeli Jews against Arab and Muslim sites, Israeli military installations, and other targets. These incidents are only the most recent of a long list of audacious and insupportable attacks.

We share Prime Minister Netanyahu's view that "We need to stop this now… This is something small that could become something larger and bad. We will stop it now."

We commend the prime minister, the cabinet, and security officials for making clear that the perpetrators of these acts will be arrested and prosecuted.

ADL is the world’s leading anti-hate organization. Founded in 1913 in response to an escalating climate of anti-Semitism and bigotry, its timeless mission is to protect the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment for all. Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of hate with the same vigor and passion. A global leader in exposing extremism, delivering anti-bias education, and fighting hate online, ADL is the first call when acts of anti-Semitism occur. ADL’s ultimate goal is a world in which no group or individual suffers from bias, discrimination or hate.